Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: Job Description
Set up, operate, or tend paper goods machines that perform a variety of functions, such as converting, sawing, corrugating, banding, wrapping, boxing, stitching, forming, or sealing paper or paperboard sheets into products.
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What Tasks Do Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders cover:
- Examine completed work to detect defects and verify conformance to work orders, and adjust machinery as necessary to correct production problems.
- Observe operation of various machines to detect and correct machine malfunctions such as improper forming, glue flow, or pasteboard tension.
- Start machines and move controls to regulate tension on pressure rolls, to synchronize speed of machine components, and to adjust temperatures of glue or paraffin.
- Disassemble machines to maintain, repair, or replace broken or worn parts, using hand or power tools.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Bag Machine Operator
- Bag Machine Tender
- Bag Maker
- Bag Presser
- Bag Valver
- Bender Machine Operator
- Binder
- Box Brander
How Many Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Are There?
There are roughly 450,749 paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +10.4% over the projection horizon.
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $38,587 |
| Hourly median | $18.55 |
| 10th percentile | $23,147 |
| 25th percentile | $30,867 |
| 75th percentile | $46,307 |
| 90th percentile | $54,027 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | $62,690 |
| Oklahoma | $61,750 |
| Utah | $59,100 |
| Wisconsin | $57,760 |
| Oregon | $57,010 |
| Illinois | $56,860 |
| Idaho | $56,300 |
| Washington | $56,240 |
| Minnesota | $55,790 |
| Kentucky | $53,650 |
| New York | $51,860 |
| South Carolina | $51,720 |
| Connecticut | $51,530 |
| Maine | $51,450 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,780 |
| Colorado | $50,340 |
| California | $50,030 |
| Alabama | $49,380 |
| Virginia | $49,110 |
| Iowa | $48,950 |
| Ohio | $48,730 |
| New Hampshire | $48,660 |
| Massachusetts | $48,530 |
| Michigan | $48,510 |
| Georgia | $48,330 |
| Nevada | $48,300 |
| Tennessee | $48,060 |
| Arizona | $47,620 |
| North Carolina | $47,600 |
| Indiana | $47,590 |
| Delaware | $47,350 |
| Rhode Island | $47,210 |
| Nebraska | $46,900 |
| Florida | $46,800 |
| Mississippi | $46,500 |
| New Mexico | $46,350 |
| Missouri | $46,240 |
| New Jersey | $46,200 |
| Kansas | $46,120 |
| Arkansas | $45,520 |
| Texas | $44,570 |
| South Dakota | $44,330 |
| Maryland | $34,760 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,240 |
Where Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Earn the Most
Compensation for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mountains | $57,154 | 1.7% | 0.79 |
| Great Lakes | $53,242 | 24.0% | 2.09 |
| Far Western US | $52,387 | 9.2% | 0.66 |
| Plains States | $50,080 | 5.9% | 0.96 |
| Middle Atlantic | $49,849 | 14.6% | 1.44 |
| New England | $49,458 | 4.3% | 1.13 |
| Southeast | $49,248 | 33.3% | 1.89 |
| Southwest | $48,746 | 6.9% | 0.67 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA | IA | $80,910 | 280 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $75,790 | 160 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | WA | $66,600 | 630 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $61,020 | 220 |
| Salem, OR | OR | $60,740 | 60 |
| Glens Falls, NY | NY | $59,890 | 350 |
| Green Bay, WI | WI | $59,740 | 1,390 |
| Tulsa, OK | OK | $59,600 | 560 |
Industry Breakdown
The bulk of paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 92,900 | $49,570 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,770 | $46,610 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,580 | $32,280 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 320 | $36,760 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 200 | $40,380 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 110 | $38,980 |
Below are examples of industries where paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders work:
Software Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Use
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Desktop publishing software: Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Standing
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
Education and Training
Entry-level paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics (Primary-Long)
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Long)
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Long)
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners (Supplemental)
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-9196.00 (Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders).
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